Test on Hill’s Wrist Negative

An MRI exam on Grant Hill’s aching right wrist came back negative Wednesday, and Hill was expected to play tonight against the Houston Rockets and former teammate Tracy McGrady.

On Tuesday, Hill scored a season-low eight points on four-for-14 shooting and played only three minutes in the fourth quarter of the Magic’s victory over the Detroit Pistons.

Hill was first hurt Jan. 8, when he took a spill in a victory over New Jersey.

A bad left ankle sidelined Hill for all but 47 games of the previous four seasons. But he has sat out only one game this year, Dec. 10 at Golden State, because of a bruised right shin.

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Denver Nugget forward Carmelo Anthony had full range of motion and minimal swelling in his right ankle after suffering a sprain Tuesday night against the Seattle SuperSonics.

Team doctors decided X-rays weren’t necessary, and Anthony was questionable for Friday’s home game against Memphis. Anthony was injured when he landed on the foot of the SuperSonics’ Nick Collison after attempting a three-point shot. Anthony is averaging a team-leading 20.5 points and 5.8 rebounds.

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The Houston Rockets signed point guard Rod Strickland and waived guard Brandin Knight.

Strickland, a free agent, played last year with Orlando before forcing his release in March. He played the final month of the season with Toronto.

Strickland, 38, ranks seventh in NBA history with 7,948 assists in a 17-year career that also includes stops in New York, San Antonio, Portland, Washington, Miami and Minnesota.

He averaged 6.3 points and 4.0 assists in 61 games with the Magic and Raptors last season.

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The Phoenix Suns placed backup point guard Leandro Barbosa on the injured list because of a sprained left ankle and signed Smush Parker to a 10-day contract. Barbosa was injured in practice. ... Former NASCAR executive Brett Yormark was hired as president and chief executive officer of Nets Sports & Entertainment, LLC, the parent company of the New Jersey Nets.